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Southern AER

THE SOUTH CAROLINA DROUGHT RESPONSE PROGRAM

One meteorological event that is often
overlooked is drought. Drought is defined as a period of time with
less-than-normal rainfall. No region, including the southeast United States, is
immune to the possibility of drought. Drought can have an adverse affect on the
environment as well as communities. When rainfall is less than normal, there is
less water to maintain normal soil moisture, stream flows, reservoir levels, and
to recharge ground water. Water quality often decreases as water quantity
decreases. Drought may affect the ability of a community to supply safe, clean,
ample water to its residents, businesses, and industries.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources-Water Resources Division
(SCDNR-WRD) has developed the Drought Response Program to monitor drought
conditions in South Carolina and coordinate the state's response. There are six
Drought Management Areas (DMA) located throughout the state - the Northwest,
North Central, Northeast, West Central, Central, and Southern.

The SCDNR-WRD routinely monitors climatological and other drought-related
variables. These variables include temperature, precipitation, runoff, stream
flows, groundwater levels, soil moisture, and other drought data. The four
levels of drought severity are incipient, moderate, severe, and extreme. The
Drought Response Program can be found on the World Wide Web at:

Hot Summer Days

Introduction

The summer season can be the most exciting and active season of all; however,
the high temperatures common to the southeast United States can be dangerous.
The sun plays an important role in our weather. It is the driving force behind
all weather on earth. In the activity below we will look at the summer season
and study reasons why the Southeast has such warm summertime temperatures.

Definitions and Background

The Earth has a natural 23.5 degrees tilt of its axis that points the earth
toward and away from the sun depending on where it is in its revolution around
the sun.Lines of Latitude are imaginary lines that run parallel north and south
of the earth's equator.The
Bermuda High is a subtropical high pressure that exists over the
Atlantic Ocean off the southeast United States coast during the summer. It
influences summers by helping to provide warm, humid air to the Southeast.Relative Humidity is defined as the amount of water vapor in the air.
Higher relative humidity slows the evaporation process as our bodies try to
cool themselves.

Hours of Daylight

3. In which month does the Northern Hemisphere receive the most hours of
daylight? That date marks the beginning of which season?

4. Which latitude receives the most hours of daylight on March 21 and
September 22? Why?

5. The Southern Hemisphere has opposite seasons than we do. What causes this?

6. In the Southeast our weather is greatly influenced by the Bermuda High.
The winds circulating around this high pressure system bring in humid air, which
helps produce showers and thunderstorms. Draw arrows around the high pressure
system to indicate air flow around its center to describe why this happens.

7. The following are facts and statements made during the summer when
temperatures are relatively high. Mark each statement true or false. For those
that are false rewrite the statement to make it true.

A. We have thinner blood in the south than people who live in the north because
our weather is warmer.

B. June 21 is our longest day of the year with the sun being at its highest
point in the sky.

C. The hottest temperature ever recorded in the western hemisphere was 134oF
in Miami, Florida.

D. When it is cloudy outside, sunscreen is not needed. The clouds will
protect you.

E. The driving force behind the weather here on earth is the sun.

8. Why should you always avoid the sunlight between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in
the summer? If you must be outside between these hours during the hot summer,
and you experience dizziness, what should you do?

9. Does relative humidity make the temperature feel cooler or warmer than it
actually is during the summer?

10. The Appalachian Mountains can serve as a control of temperature for our
region in summer. How do these mountains keep the Southeast from experiencing
cooler temperatures in summer months?

Southern AER is a quarterly publication of the Southeast Regional Climate
Center. Funding is provided by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.

Weather Trivia

Did you know that...

The highest official temperature recorded in North America was 134F in Death
Valley, California.The highest official temperature
recorded in the world was 136F in Lybia, Africa.The highest reliable, unofficial
shaded temperature in the world was 140F in the Sonoran Desert, Mexico. The highest unofficial, unshaded
surface temperature in the world was 201F in Death Valley, California.The highest temperature ever
recorded at the South Pole was 8F.

Permission is granted for the reproduction of materials contained in this
bulletin.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources prohibits discrimination
on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, disability, religion, or age.
Direct all inquiries to the Office of Human Resources, P.O. Box 167, Columbia,
SC 29202.